Marine propulsion device



Feb. 17, 1942.

V. METAXAS MARINE PROPULSION DEVICE Filed 001;. 26, 1938 Patented Feb. 17, 1942 UNITEDV STATES PATENT OFFICE MARINE PROPULSION DEVCE Y l Victor Metaxas, Detroit, Mich.

j Application October 26, 1938, Serial No. 237,133 (o1. 11s-27j l 2 Claims.

This invention relates to marine propulsion devices and more particularly to manually operated devices of this character.

`In spite of the fact that numerous manually propelled boats have been provided, none'of them havereceived wide practical application. This has been' due to the fact that the propelling devices of such boats are 'of very complicated designs and are of such a character as to require either especially built boats or making irreparable changes in the boats of the existing types.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved marine propulsion device of the detachable type, which device may be separately manufacture as a self-contained, fully assembled unit, and which can be aflixed to conventional boats of various types and sizes with a minimum of required changes in the boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved steering mechanism incorporated in the propulsion mechanism assembly. v

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved seat adjustable with relation to said propulsion device and the steering mechanism` thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to providean improved marine propulsion devicein which there are provided means whereby the gearing of the device may be adjusted with respect to the different required positions of the propeller in different types of boats.

It is an added object of the invention to provide an improved marine propulsion device of the foregoing character, which is simple in construction, dependable in operation, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a side View of my marine propulsion device installed in a boat.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the device, the boat structure and the seat being omitted.

Fig; 3 is a side view of the sprocket wheel supporting bracket, illustrating the way in which the steering rod is supported.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention practiced or carried out in various Ways.` Also itis to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to'limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In the drawing there is shown, by way of example, a marine propulsion device constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention and installed in a conventional boat. Referring to the drawing and particularly to Fig. 1, the device comprises a base board I0 secured to the bottom of the boat structure II in any suitable manner, such as by means of bolts I2. To the base board IU at one end thereof there is secured a bracket or stand I3, the upper part of which journals the shaft of a sprocket wheel I4 provided with pedals I5 secured thereto.

On the opposite end of the base board I0 there is secured a bracket I 6 in which there is hingedly supported as indicated at I1 a bracket I8. The opposite end of said bracket I8 is supported by a threaded adjustment I9 hingedly supported in a block 20. v

l The bracket I8 supports ball bearings 2I journalling the shaft 22 of a bevel gear 23. Mounted on the same shaft 22 and secured to the bevel gear 23 there is a small sprocket wheel 24 connected to the large sprocket wheel I4 by means of a 4chain 25. Pinions 26 and 21 are rotatably supported on the second bracket I8 in a xed relationship with respect to the bevel gear 23. The pinion 26 is mounted on the end of a propeller shaft 28 consisting of two telescopin-g parts 28a and 28h. The pinion 21 mounted in a position diametrically opposite to that of the pinion 26 serves to prevent misalignment of the bevel gear 23. On the end of the propeller shaft 28 there is mounted a screw propeller 29.

A rudder 30 is hingedly suspended on the stern of the boat and is operated with the aid of cords 3 I, the rear ends of which are aixed to the ends of the cross bar 32 secured to the rudder 3D, while their front ends are affixed to the steering lever 33 supported by a steering rod 34 rotatably supported by the bracket I3.

A seat 35 is mounted on the boat structure and it is adjustable with respect to the pedal-propelled sprocket wheel I4 and the steering lever 33. The vertical adjustment of said seat 35 comprises a, vertical shaft 36 passing through a collar 31 which is provided with a screw 38 by means of which it is possible to secure the seat 35 at any desired elevation. The horizontal adjustments of is capable of other embodiments and of being the seat 35 are effected by the bolts 39, with the aid of which the seat 35 may be connected to the boat structure at any desirable location. I prefer to use a longitudinally disposed board 40 which may be secured in the boat in a simple and speedy manner well known in the art.

While any desired gear ratio may be employed, I prefer to make the sprocket wheel I4 of a rather large diameter, such for instance as 16 inches, in order to have a sufficiently large driving ratio between ther sprocket wheels I4 and 24. It is also to be understood that any desired gear ratio to increase either power 0r speed of the propeller 29 may be employed in the gearing 24-23-26. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the shaft of the sprocket wheel I4 is journaled on anti-friction bearings of any suitable type, such for example as ball or roller bearings, The pedals I5 may be of any desired type and may be connected to the sprocket I4 as by the attachment of one pedal to a flange of the sprocket I4 and the attachment of the other pedal to a crank arm attached to the cross shaft or hub of the sprocket wheel I4. The propeller shaft 28 is provided in the place where it passes through the boat structure with a packing box 4I which is secured to the boat structure in a manner well known in the art.

By virtue of the above described construction a marine propulsion device is provided which may be easily and speedily installed in boats of various types without making any irreparable changes therein. As can be seen from an examination of the drawing, substantially the entire device is assembled or mounted on the board I0, and it may be so assembled thereon in the process of manufacture. An installation of the board II] in a boat does not present any diiculties even to an unskilled person, since it involves only connecting the board I0 to the boat with the aid of bolts I2. In order to dispose the propeller shaft 28 at a proper angle with respect to the boat, the bevel gear and pinion assembly is adjustably moved with the aid of the screw adjustment I9 until the proper angle is attained. In order to adapt the propeller shaft to boats of different lengths, the same may be made longer or shorter because of the telescoping construction thereof.

It should be particularly noted that adjustments of the propeller shaft either with respect to its length or with respect to the .angle thereof, do not effect the proper meshing of the bevel gears, since the same are mounted in a permanent meshing relationship. Adjustments of the steering lever 33 as to elevation thereof to suit particular operators are eiected with the aid of a screw 42 provided in the pipe 43 supporting the steering rod 34.

Thus, considered from one of its broader aspects, my invention contemplates providing a marine propulsion device which is assembled on a single base board and can be detachably secured to boats of various types, the adjusting means permitting proper arrangement of the propeller with respect to the boat, and the entire installation not requiring irreparable changes in the boat.

It is to be understood that any desired type of suitable materials may be utilized in fabricating the gears and other operating parts of the improved propulsion device of the present inven tion. For example, the gears may be made out of either metal, fiber or plastic substances.

I claim:

1. In a marine propulsion device, a base board adapted to be detachably secured to a boat, a generally vertically adjustable bracket having one end hingedly secured to said board and having its other end secured to said board with the aid of an adjustable connection so that said last named end may be adjustably raised or lowered relative to said board, a bevel gear, a pinion meshing with said gear, said gear and pinion being rigidly supported with respect to each other and bodily movable with said bracket, and a propeller shaft secured to said pinion.

2. In a marine propulsion device, a base board adapted to be detachably secured to a boat structure, a substantially rigid bracket secured to said board, a sprocket wheel rotatably mounted on said bracket, a steering rod mounted on said bracket, a second bracket mounted for generally vertical adjustment on said base board, a bevel gear, a pinion meshing with said gear, said gear and pinion being rigidly supported with respect to each other by said adjustable bracket and bodily movable together with respect to the boat structure by means of said adjustable bracket, whereby rotary movement only between said gear and pinion is permitted under all circumstances, and a propeller shaft secured to said pinion.

VICTOR METAXAS. 

